For All Walks of Life:
Alexander Technique Success Stories
Twenty years ago, 60-year-old Barney K. was an avid
racquetball player, until severe back spasms and knee
pain put an end to his workouts. Although he could
swim, he longed to get back on the court. Three years
ago he
began studying the Alexander Technique and, despite
some fear, recently began playing again. He’s thrilled…and
is leaving his racquetball partner—his athletic
wife—in the dust! Marcia B. lived her whole life with
severe stomach discomfort. She believed it was psychological.
Alexander Technique lessons taught her that when she
got fearful, she
pulled her ribcage down, creating pressure on her stomach. Learning to “leave
herself alone” in times of stress, she now cuts those “stomachaches” off
at the pass.
Unlike other modalities, such as chiropractic, physical
therapy or massage, the Alexander Technique is a course
of study, lessons in how to
rebalance yourself
so you move with less tension, more ease, flexibility and strength. The
Alexander Technique helps us return to the easy relationship
to
gravity that we had as children.
Often, issues such as neck, back and knee pain, poor posture and encumbered
breathing
can be the result of how we “use” ourselves rather than a specific
disease.
It Ain't Necessarily So
F.M.
Alexander, a Shakespearean actor of the early 1900s,
developed the Alexander Technique after repeated
voice loss during performance. When
no amount of
vocal rest could fix his voice, he realized he must have been doing
something to
create the problem. Through self-observation, he discovered that he
was not using his
body in the way he thought he was. In fact, he was unconsciously interfering
with his whole functioning, which caused strain and pressure on his
vocal organs. Once he learned to stop interfering, he
regained and improved
his voice and
went on to help others.
A Lot of Living to Do
Who can benefit from the Alexander
work? Just about anybody, but the Technique often draws
people experiencing
chronic pain, postural problems
and/or
breathing difficulties. Many folks in challenging fields, from
builders, athletes and
therapists to actors, singers, musicians and teachers, turn to
the Alexander Technique because it can offer freedom
from pain and discomfort, improved health and a new way of experiencing
ourselves.
What'll I Do in an
Alexander Technique Lesson?
How long can you stand or walk before
your legs start to hurt? Ten minutes? Twenty? Alexander
lessons will
help you look at why that is
by looking at
how your whole
self moves. You learn to take pressure off your joints, fine-tune
the senses and allow yourself to come to your fullest stature.
With gentle
guidance
from the teacher’s hands, you look at your old movement
habits – how
you sit, stand, walk and bend -- and cultivate new ones. In a
lesson, which can last
anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes, personal difficulties with specific
activities are also explored.
Come Fly with Me
Monica Norcia is a certified teacher
of the Alexander Technique and a graduate of the
Alexander Technique
Institute in San Francisco, where she studied
with master teachers Frank Ottiwell, Bob Britton and Rome Earle.
Ms. Norcia offers both private Alexander Technique lessons in her San Rafael
home
and on-site
group
workshops.
She also teaches
the Alexander
principles in her work as a voice
teacher and music
director. |
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